Sewing method and apparatus and article made thereby



0. WOLF May 2, 1961 SEWING METHOD AND APPARATUS AND ARTICLE MADE THEREBY Filed Feb. 6, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 EIIIIQL'II] I Q A F mm mm mfmm 6 6 N 2 mA\ i /V w m 4 M M M Z I M r ll v INVENTOR. USL'AR WULF 4 r TOENEY o. WOLF 2,982,242

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 I II I II I 1] 1 E fin; in 5 3 an: 5333 515 3? $515? 1 FFFFFELFLLIFIcLEFLtFFctFFFtE F I 1 mVEz vToR. Mi ULF Usa'AR May 2, 1961 SEWING METHOD AND APPARATUS AND ARTICLE MADE THEREBY Filed Feb. 6, 1957 1 5/ 210.

SEWING METHOD AND APPARATUS AND ARTICLE MADE THEREBY Oscar Wolf, 640 Parkway Ave., Trenton, NJ.

Filed Feb. 6, 1957, Ser. No. 638,643

Claims. (Cl. 112-262) This invention relates to the sewing arts and, particularly, to improved method and apparatus for sewing a pattern of decorative stitching and an article made thereby.

One type of popular decorative stitching comprises a series of stitches in which each successive stitch is spaced UP- a predetermined distance from the preceding stitch. to the present time, decorative stitching of this type has been made by hand and, as a result, articles including such stitching have been prohibitively expensive. In addition, generally such stitching has not contributed to the structural strength of the article.

The objects of the present invention are directed toward the provision of an improved sewn article and improved method and apparatus of making such an article having stitching which is both decorative and contributes to the strength of the article.

In general, the method of the. invention allows the sewing of a series of spaced-apart stitches and comprises, essentially, sewing a series of conventional closely spaced stitches and concealing certain of the stitches to provide the desired spacing between visible stitches which comprise the desired decorative pattern- The desired concealment of stitches is achieved by incising the surface of the article bearing the stitches so that certain of the stitches in a series are drawn beneath the surface of the article and thus are concealed from view.

Apparatus for practicing the invention comprises a conventional sewing machine which is provided with a knife mounted in front of the sewing needle so that it incises the article before the sewing needle enters it tomake the stitches. The cutting edge of the knife is of a length suitable for providing the desired incisions and is ailgned with the point of the sewing needle. The knife is constructed and arranged to incise the article being sewn in the proper areas to provide the desired concealment of stitches.

The invention is described in greater detail by reference to the two sheets of drawings wherein:

' Fig. l is an elevational view of an articleembodying the invention; V a

. Fig. 2 is a sectional, view of a portion of the article of Fig. 1 in an early stage in its preparation;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the article shown in Fig. 2 at a later stage in its preparation;

taken along the line 6-6 in Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in 2,982,242 Pa'ftentecl May 2, 1961 Fig. 10 is a plan view of apparatus embodying the invention;

7 pieces of leather.

Fig. 11 is an end view, partly in section, of the apparatus of Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is an elevational view of a portion of the appa ratus of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view along the line 13-13 in Fig. 10; and

Fig. 14 is an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 10.

The principles of the invention are particularly applicable to the art of sewing decorative and functional stitching of the type employed, for example, in handbags. A

typical handbag 10 having stitching of the type contem-' Considering plated by the invention is shown in Fig. 1. the flap portion 11 of the handbag 10, this portion may comprise, for example, two pieces of leather secured to gether, a top piece 12 having a top surface 14 and a bottom surface 16 and a bottom piece 18 having top and bottom surfaces 20 and 22, respectively (Fig. 2). In such a construction, both pieces of leather carry the stitching and the top piece 12 displays the desired deco rative stitching. One type of decorative stitching comprises a series of stitches 24 which are spaced apart from each other approximately the length of one of the stitches.

of stitches made by a sewing machine with every other stitch omitted.

One method of making a series of stitches 24 of the type shown in Fig. l is as follows. The top and bottom pieces of leather are held together as an assembly (Fig; 2) which is passed through a conventional sewing machine of any suitable type (not shown), for example of the lock stitch or chain stitch type, from which the sewing thread has been removed. This operation provides,

a series of spaced stitch holes 26 (Figs. 3 and 4) formed by the sewing machine needle which passes through both, Next, incisions or slots 28 are cut into the top surface 14 of the top piece of leather 12 between, The:

every other pair of stitch holes 26 (Figs. 5 and 6). incisions 28 penetrate partly through the thickness of the top piece of leather 12 (Fig. 6). If desired the incisions may extend through the top piece of leather and up tov the bottom piece of leather 18.

After the series of stitch holes 26 and incisions or slots is performed, a conventional series of stitches secures All of the stitches the two pieces of leather together. 24' are visible on the bottom surface 22 of the lower piece of leather 18. However, only every other stitch or loop of thread 24 of the series is visible on the top. surface 14 of the top piece of leather 12 since every) other stitch or loop 24 which wouldhave appeared on the top surface of the top piece 12 penetrates beneath the surface into an incision 28 and are not seen (Fig. 8). 1

Thus, the desired functional and decorative pattern of stitches is achieved. 7

One particular advantage of the invention is seen in Figs. 7 and 9 and lies in the fact that all of the stitches contribute to holding the top and bottom pieces of leather 12 and 18 together although only every other stitch or loop is visible on the surface of the top piece of leather..

. The above-described process may also be practiced with a single piece of leather or with more than two thicknesses of leather and other materials than leather which may be sewed and incised may be provided witha pattern of stitches.

One suitable mechanical apparatus for practicing the invention and forming the desired stitch pattern automatically in a single continuous operation includes all of the operative elements of a conventional sewing machine of any suitable type, for example of the lock stitch or chain stitch type. Typical sewing machines are shown in US. Patents 2,617,375 and 1,005,250. All of the elements of such a sewing machine need not be shown and described herein and only portions thereof, as they pertain to the invention, are shown. Referring to Figs. to 14, a sewing machine 32 includes, among other things, a housing 34 and a main drive shaft 36 horizontally disposed within the housing and suitably coupled to a motor 38 by which the shaft is rotated. The housing 34 has a hollow head 40 in which the main drive shaft 36 terminates and in which this shaft is suitably coupled to the usual vertically reciprocatory needle bar 42 which carries a vertically disposed sewing needle 44 at its lower end. The usual presser-bar 46 is secured to a shaft 48 mounted in the hollow head 40 of the housing 34 and is operated by a pivotable arm 50 secured to the hollow head. The main drive shaft 36 is also suitably coupled to a loop-taker and feed wheel assembly 51 as is well known.

According to the invention, a second shaft 52 is provided oriented parallel to the main drive shaft 36 and to the rear of the housing 34. The second shaft carries a gear 54 which meshes with a gear 56 on the main drive shaft. To provide a pattern of the type described above in which every other stitch is concealed, the ratio of diameters of gear 54 to gear 56 is 2 to 1 so that the gear 54 and the shaft 52 rotate once for every two rotations of gear 56 and main drive shaft 36. The second shaft 52 is suitably rotatably journalled in a bracket 58 god to the rear of the hollow head 40 of the housing A quick-acting cam 60 is fixed to the shaft 52 near the end thereof which is near the hollow head 40 of the housing 34. The cam includes a hub portion 62 and a radially extending arm 64. A cam follower 66 in the form of a metal plate is secured to one end 67 of a shaft 68 which is rotatably journalled in the bracket 58 closely adjacent to the hollow head of the housing. The shaft 68 is oriented parallel to the shaft 52. The cam follower 66 has a generally U-shaped open end 69 comprising upper and lower generally horizontal arms 70 and 72 which cradle the cam 60. As the cam 60 rotates on the shaft 52, the radial arm 64 thereof alternately bears against the upper and lower arms 70 and 72 of the cam follower and forces the cam follower alternately up and down. As the cam follower is thus driven, the shaft 68 is rotated alternately clockwise and counterclockwise.

At the other end 74 of the shaft 68 is fixed an arm 76 which extends transversely toward the needle-bar 42. The arm 76 terminates in a pin 78 which extends inwardly therefrom toward the hollow head 40 of the housing 34 at about the center thereof. The pin 78 engages a slot 80 in a vertically disposed reciprocatory blade-bar 82 which is suitably slidably mounted in a slot 84 formed in the hollow head of the housing. The blade-bar 82 is disposed close to and behind the needle-bar 42 and has its lower end disposed adjacent to the lower end of the needle bar where the needle 44 is carried. 7

A blade-holder 84 is secured to the lower end of the blade-bar 82 and extends from the blade-bar to a position in front of the needle-bar 42. The blade-holder 84 is provided with a slot or depression 86 in which the needle-bar 42 and needle 44 are cradled as they reciprocate vertically. The blade-holder is positioned on and secured to the blade-bar at the proper vertical position so that the desired depth of penetration of a cutting blade 88 secured thereto is achieved. The cutting blade includes a cutting edge 90 which has a length substantially equal to the length of a stitch or loop formed by the sewing machine. The length of the cutting edge of the cutting blade may also be defined as substantially equal to the 4 i distance between two successive stitch holes formed by the sewing needle 44. The cutting edge of the cutting blade is oriented transverse to the axis of the sewing needle and transverse to the axis of the drive shaft 36 and is aligned with the needle and ahead of the needle on the natural sewing path of the machine. In other words a line drawn along the sewing path of the machine extends along and includes the cutting edge and intercepts the tip of the sewing needle. The cutting blade is also positioned with its trailing edge almost in contact with the sewing needle so that, when the cutting blade penetrates a work-piece, the incision is made between successive stitch holes.

In operation of the sewing machine 32 including the apparatus of the invention, the motor 38 drives the main drive shaft 36 which drives the second shaft through the gears 56 and 54. As the main drive shaft rotates, the needle 44 reciprocates and combines with the loop-taker and feed wheel assembly 51 and the other portions of the machine to form a conventional series of closely spaced stitches. As the shaft 52 rotates, the cam 60 acting through the cam follower 66 oscillates the shaft 68 clockwise and counterclockwise. As the shaft 68 oscillates, the arm 76 drives the blade-bar 82 and cutting blade 88 up and down. As the cutting blade is driven up and down, it incises the workpiece of leather or the like just ahead of the needle so that when the needle sews and stitches are formed, every other stitch is concealed in an incision or slot.

It is clear that other patterns may be sewn by varying the ratio of the gears 54 and 56 so that, for example, every third or fourth stitch or the like might be concealed.

What is claimed is:

1. A sewn article comprising a sheet having top and bottom surfaces, a series of closely spaced stitches carried by said sheet, each of said stitches being visible on the bottom surface of said sheet, only selected ones of said stitches being visible on the top surface of said sheet, means in said sheet for receiving and substantially concealing the remainder of said stitches beneath the top surface of 'said sheet and positioned within the body of said sheet.

2. A sewn article comprising a sheet having top and bottom surfaces, 21 series of closely spaced stitches carried by said sheet, each of said stitches being visible and present on the bottom surface of said sheet, and only every other one of said stitches being present and visible on the top surface of said sheet, means in said sheet for receiving and concealing those of said stitches not being visible on the top surface of said sheet beneath said top surface and positioned within the body of said sheet.

3. A sewn article comprising a sheet for carrying a pattern of stitches, said sheet having two opposed surfaces, an outer surface and an inner surface, a series of slots formed in said outer surface and extending below said outer surface and into the main body of said sheet, a series of stitches in said sheet, selected ones of said stitches being present and visible on said outer surface of said sheet, the others of said stitches being concealed in said slots within the body of said sheet and beneath said outer surface of said sheet.

4. The article defined in claim 3 wherein said series of stitches is aligned with said series of slots.

5. A sewn article comprising a sheet for carrying a pattern of stitches, said sheet having two opposed surfaces, an outer surface and an inner surface, a series of slots in said sheet and extending from said outer surface into the body of said sheet, a series of stitches in said sheet and aligned with said series of slots, said stitches comprising upper and lower loops of thread, the upper loops being adjacent to said outer surface and said inner loops being adjacent to said inner surface, all of said lower loops being visible on said inner surface, selected ones of said upper loops resting on and visible on the outer surface References Cited in the file of this patent 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 146,912 Joyce -1 Jan. 27, 1874 217,963 Thomson July 29, 1879 985,115 Kohn Feb. 21, 19,11 10 1,103,825

Parkinson et a1 July 14, 1914 6 Benton Mar. 13, 1923 Landis Nov. 12, 1935 Ring Apr. 20, 1937 Lane June 27, 1939 Ferrara Apr. 23, 1940 Liberman Feb. 19, 1952 Brown June 23, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Feb. 17, 1921 

